Attachment for tape-measures



G. A. BRANDENBURG. ATTACHMENT FOR TAPE MEASURES. APPLICATION FILEDJAN-27, 19:9.

1,380,184. Patented Ma 31,1921.

INVENTO/i A TTOR/VEYS PATENT DFFIQE.

GEORGE ALBERT BRANDENIBURG, OF ST. FRANCIS, KANSAS.

ATTACHMENT roe Tarn-nnnsunns.

Application filed January 27, 1919.

To all to 710m it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BRANDEN-none, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Francis, inthe county of Cheyenne and State of Kansas, have invented a new andImproved Attachment for Tape-Measures, of which the following is adescription.

My invention is more particularly intended for use in connection with ameasuring line in the form of a tape, arranged to wind within a case orunwind therefrom. In all its phases the application is not limited totape lines of the particular character indicated.

The general object of the invention is to provide means at the end ofthe measure or like tape, adapted to beemployed for securing that end ofthe tape, by pinning it down, or anchoring it by causing it to grip afixed object, thereby making it unnecessary for a second person to bepresent to hold the line at one end. I

The stated objects and others as will appear are attained by the novelmeans hereinafter particularly described. 1

. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, it being understood that the drawings are merelyillustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tape measure equipped with myattachment;

Fig. 2 is a side view with the tape partly withdrawn from the case andhaving the outer end thereof pinned down by my im proved attachment;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged inverted plan View of the attachment, the viewincluding the loop on the tape, a portion of the latter and the clipthat secures the loop to the tape;

Fig. 4: is a side edge view of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

My invention is shown applied to a known form of measuring tape andhaving a loop A secured to the tape B at the outer end usually by a clip10, to prevent the tape from being completely drawn into the case C andalso to serve as a means for grasping the tape in drawing it from thecase.

The device includes a spur 11 laterally disposed and an elementpresenting said spur and forming the means for mounting it on the tape.The preferred form of the invention which has advantages as will appearincludes a shank 12 on the outer edge Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1921.

Serial No. 273,369.

of which the spur 11 is formed and a cross bar 13 pivoted at oppositeends in the sides of the loop A about midway in the length thereof. Thedescribed construction thus utilizes the loop of the tape as the meansfor carrying my attachment. The length of the cross bar 13 relatively tothe distance between the sides of the ring or loop A is such thatthesides of the loop exert a pressure on the ends of the cross bar tomaintain the attachment in the adjusted position either at the outer endof the ring or at the inner end thereof.

When the spur is to be employed for anchoring the end of a. tape towhich it is secured, the shank 12 is swung so that the spur lies at theouter end of the loop A. The inner side of the spur is in a line withthe end of the ring or loop A for accurate measurement. The spur may bepressed into a wood or other yielding surface or it can be hooked overthe end of a beam, rail, timber, or the like, to be measured, therebycausing it to grip the same. In use the shank 12 is swung so that thespur lies at the outer end of the loop A and as the shank 12 extendsunder the outer end of the loop, it is held by'said loop in the'engag'edpoition. When the tape is not in use, the shank 12 is swung through anarc of approximately 180 so that the spur lies adjacent to the rear endof the loop and in the latter position the spur is accommodated in anopening 14, formed for the purpose, transversely in the clip 10.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated exampleconstitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limitmyself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, sincemanifestly the same can be considerably varied withoutdeparture from thespirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a tape, an end clip comprising a bent strip havingthe ends bent back to receive the end of the tape therebetween and ameans for securing the end of the tape therebetween, a portion of saidclip being slitted between the side edges thereof longitudinally of theclip, a loop, said loop comprising side portions and connecting endportions, one of the end portions extending through the bent portion Qfthe clip and forming an opening with the slitted portion of the clip, amember extending transversely of the loop, and having its ends pivotallymounted in the side portions of the loop, at a point substantiallymidway between the connecting end portions, and a device fixed to saidmember extending longitudinally of the loop, said device having. a bentend portion forming a spur, said device being of such a length that whenmoved on pivoted member in one direction, the spur will be positionedwithin the opening of the clip, and when moved on the pivoted member inthe opposite direction, the device will contact with the otherconnecting end member, with the spur extending outward so that the saidspur'may be used to position one end of the tape.

2. In a device of the character described, a loop comprising sideportions, connecting end portions, and a transversely extending memberhaving the ends thereof pivotally carried in the side portions at apoint substantially equidistant from the end portions, and anothermember extending longitudinally of the loop, having one end thereoffixed in said first named member, and the free end thereof extendingunder and slightly beyond, an end portionof said loop so as to be heldin engaged position thereby, the said end being bent to form a spur.

3. In a device of the character described, a loop comprising the sideportions, connecting end portions, and a transversely extending memberhaving the ends thereof pivotally carried in the side portions at apoint substantially equidistant from the end portions forming twoopenings, and another member extending longitudinally of the loop,vhaving one end thereof fixed in said first named member, and the otherend thereof extending to a point slightly beyond the end members thesaid end being bent to form a spur, and a clip bent around one of theend portions of the loop, adapted to re ceive one end of a tape, saidclip having a forked end forming an opening to receive the spur of thelongitudinally expanding member. 7

at. In the device of the character described an end attachment for atape, including a loop having side portions, connecting end portions, aclip connecting to one of the end portions, said clip having a forkedend forming an opening, and a member having the ends thereof pivotallycarried at a point substantially equidistant from the con necting endportions, on the inner side of the side portions, and a longitudinalmember having one end thereof fixed to said first named member to movetherewith, the other end of said longitudinal extending member being ofsuch a length that the end thereof extends beyond each of the connectingend portions, said end being bent to form a spur adapted to bepositioned in the opening of the clip when in contact with one of theconnecting end members, and adapted to securely hold the loop when saidmember is in contact with the other connecting end portion. I

GEORGE ALBERT BRANDENBURG.

